An Unbreakable Connection
by FandomChanger
Summary: Aqua was content with her life; a Keyblade Master, two supportive best friends, and a beautiful baby boy who she loved with all her heart. But tragedy strikes when their home is overtaken by Darkness and a mysterious black hooded figure kidnaps her son. Many years pass, but she's still without any clues. Sora swears there's something missing in his life, he's just not sure what.
1. Chapter 1

He had never told anyone, but back when he, Donald, and Goofy had first seen Castle Oblivion, an aching feeling filled his heart. He looks back on it and remembers the feeling of sadness and terror, yet, with that sense that something awful had happened there, he also felt happiness. The type that made him feel as if he had pleasant, wonderful memories there.

He could never describe it, but if he had to, he would relate it to the Secret Place back on the islands. That feeling he got whenever walking into the small cave,whenever he would stare at the drawings he and his childhood friends made, remembering all the conversations and laughs they shared; that feeling of reminiscence, it was the same when at Castle Oblivion.

Why he felt it was what he questioned.

It wasn't the only time. Throughout his journey, that familiar ache settled in his chest; now that he had some sort of break after returning home, his mind pondered on it.

It was currently nighttime, where the streetlights were turned on, and the moon illuminated the neighborhood. Sora laid in his bed, eyes looking out the window and settling on the bright moon. He hadn't been able to sleep with the thoughts of all the times he had felt empty plaguing his mind. He desperately wanted to talk to Riku and Kairi about it, they always managed to help each other out with just about anything and everything. However, it was dark out and they would surely be asleep at this time; and this provided Sora some time to think of how he would explain everything to them come tomorrow.

Or at least he hoped so.

* * *

"So, Sora. Is there a reason you wanted to hang out here?"

"Uh yeah, there's something I want to talk to you two about."

The next day, Sora had called his two friends and asked that they meet up at the old playground. While both Riku and Kairi had been confused by the request, they had noticed the sort of urgency and concern in Sora's voice to know that it was something important. So after agreeing on a time, the trio found themselves on the playground where they all used to play before being able to go to the islands themselves.

When Sora had gotten there, he found his friends by the swing set. Kairi had been sitting in one of the seats while Riku was leaning against the metal frame. After joining them by sitting in the other seat and slightly pushing himself back and forth, he started to explain everything.

"Empty?"

"Well kinda," Sora stated," it's a little hard to explain. It kinda feels like...as if something was missing. I don't really know, I mainly remember it from Castle Oblivion when-"

"Wait, Castle Oblivion?" questioned Riku. " I thought you lost your memories from there."

Kairi let out a giggle before pointing at Sora," I'm more surprised to know that you remembered something from almost two years ago when you can barely ever remember what you had for dinner the other night."

Riku gave out a chuckle as Sora gave the red-haired girl a teasing glare," I'll have you know that mom made meatloaf last night."

The girl laughed as Riku rolled his eyes and barely opened his mouth to continue his previous statement when he noticed the look on Sora's face.

"Sora?"

Sora snapped out of his daze and looked up towards the taller teen,"Hm?"

"You okay? You kinda look...guilty?"

The young keyblade wielder shifted his gaze to the side before looking at the ground and slowly bringing himself to a stop. The two companions stared at him in silence as Sora stood up from the swing and slowly walked forward with his back to them. Riku and Kairi gave each other concerned looks before Kairi called out to him.

"Sora?"

The two watched as the teen brought a hand up to his chest before suddenly falling towards the ground.

"SORA!"

* * *

" _It's a little silly, I was always scared of the thought of being a mother, but now, with you here, I have to say that it's the most wonderful thing in all of the worlds. Haha, did you know there are many other worlds out there Sora? They work a lot differently than here, each with their own unique rules. Maybe, when you get older, I can take you to some of them. Of course, that is if darkness hasn't overtaken them. Master Eraqus told us of growing darkness in the worlds, so for the time being, we're gonna have to stay here in the Land of Departure. I'm sure you don't mind right now though, you can have plenty of adventures here with the others; speaking of which, come here, why don't we go see the others Sora?"_

" _Darkness may be growing,but with your light, I'm sure you'll be fine."_

* * *

"MOM!"

Sora found himself sitting on the ground after waking up in a cold sweat. He remained confused for a while before remembering where he was. He was about to turn around when two hands landed on his shoulders.

Kairi appeared on his left with her knees tucked behind her and a concerned look on her face.

"You okay Sora?"

The teen in question blinked a few times before responding,"What happened?"

The hand on his right shoulder left as Riku sat next to Sora's right.

"A bit after you got off the swing set,you just walked forward a bit and then fainted," Riku explained," right now you just woke up shouting 'Mom'."

"Is something going on with your mom Sora?" asked Kairi," cause if you want, we could go to your house and-!"

"No!,"Sora interrupted,"not...I mean...home….we think it is...but not here...la-...l-land.."

His two friends watched him ramble as they exchanged looks and pondered on what to do. Just as Kairi went to calm him down, Sora stopped and stared forward with realization in his eyes.

"Land of Departure."

For a while,those words were just words; the three friends would occasionally ponder on them, trying to figure out what they meant.

However, not much time could be spent on figuring it out, for a few days later did a letter from King Mickey arrive. Sora and Riku left for the Mark of Mastery Exam, and Kairi would soon arrive after with Riku to learn about one in the realm of darkness.

Little did the two, or anyone know, the one in the realm of darkness, was a part of a certain mystery.

* * *

" _With all due respect Master, I cannot do this task. Forgive me for being selfish, but I would rather look for my son then go in the opposite direction and look for some sort of evil entity."_

" _I understand you wanting to put all of your energy into finding your son, but it is important that you are aware and prepared for anything and everything else. I am not asking that you focus all of your attention on Xehanort or the growing darkness, I only ask that you stay alert of your surroundings. You may continue your search, but I only wish that if a problem arises,you can help."_

" _...Okay fine. If...if someone needs help...I'll lend a hand. Forgive my actions I'm just…"_

" _Do not apologize, I understand your concerns; but remember this Aqua, you hold a connection with your son, I can sense it. Even though you are apart, your lights are still together; you will find him, as long as both of you follow your hearts."_


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Wow I wasn't expecting much for this fic!(especially considering I haven't written for anything in a long time). I'm glad many of you enjoy this! So far I have a set plan for what each chapter is going to be about and I've gotten at least 10 chapters planned; but that could very well change depending how things go.

 **Dark Mage Wyvern Lord** : Yeah, tbh I just got into Kingdom Hearts in November of last year. One of my friends helped introduce me and she showed me some cute artwork revolving around this type of Au and I was instantly on board(it was only like two pics but still!). I'm glad you enjoyed chapter 1 and I hope you enjoy this one!

 **warrior of six blades** : Pretty sad huh? But yeah, this Au still follows the main plot of kh to a degree, there's just a few changes to how some things play out. You'll see some of those changes in this chapter.

 **Chirithy564** : Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Anyways, here's chapter 2!

~Enjoy!~

* * *

She was always told to follow her heart, and while she knew from experience that it had always helped, she was beginning to grow desperate in finding her son.

She was not alone in her search though; her two closest friends had agreed to help find the boy. They said it was the least they could do, and she couldn't have been any more grateful.

"Aqua?"

Aqua turned from her spot to see both Terra and Ven approaching her; she looked each one of them over before settling on their eyes and seeing the restlessness and guilt filled in them. She had always told them that they could take breaks whenever they wanted, but just like her, they refused to properly rest until they could at least get a clue on where Sora was. They felt just as much responsible in not preventing his kidnapping, saying how they should have payed more attention to his safety. While this response, from the both of them, surprised her, it reminded her of exactly how lucky she was to have them.

Terra cleared his throat before giving a side glance to Ven," Ven and I were thinking, maybe we should split up. We could cover more ground by going to separate worlds."

Aqua gave a concerned look before turning her gaze back towards the horizon as she had been doing prior to their arrival.

"Are you sure?", Aqua asked," I wouldn't want you guys to get hurt out there."

Ven gave a small smile," Yeah maybe it won't be easy having each other to back us up, but if we want to find Sora, this is better. Don't worry Aqua, we can take care of ourselves just fine; we know you're a mom, but you don't have to take care of us too."

The blue-haired woman let out a small laugh as she turned back towards her two friends with a smile," I suppose you're right; but still, both of you, stay safe, okay?"

Two head nods were her response before they all parted ways.

" _If I had known of all the dangers that were after them, I would have persisted in us staying together. Now, not only have I lost my own son, but Ven is in the castle asleep, and I'm stuck in the Realm of Darkness as a result of giving Terra a chance to escape. I can only hope, that either he can find Sora and get us out, or I can find a way out myself."_

* * *

The sound of waves reached Aqua's ears as she continued to walk forward. Coming into her line of sight was a vast ocean; when she got closer, she also saw a figure in a black cloak sitting on a rock near the shore.

Aqua felt herself tense up at the familiar article of clothing. Memories of that horrid day flooded her mind as she struggled to breath. Her keyblade materialized in her hand as her grip tightened on the handle, the command of calling out a spell on the tip of her tongue.

"You know, it would be wise to think before you act."

Startled, Aqua slightly lowered her keyblade as she stared as the figure; hearing the voice, she could at least conclude that it was male. She quickly regained her composure as she glared at the back of the figure," Don't try to play games with me, so drop the act and tell me where my son is!"

She was shaking; her fear and anger of something having happened to Sora was making her lose her composure bit by bit. Her grip tightened even more as the man let out a chuckle.

"I'm afraid I don't know where your son is, never mind I don't know who he is."

Confused, but still on alert, Aqua raised a brow," What do you mean you don't know? You're the one that kidnapped him when my world was overtaken by darkness, you're even wearing the same cloak from-!"

"I am not one of them, I can assure you that," he interrupted," to be honest, I'm not even sure how I got this, nor do I remember how I got here in the first place."

"Not one of them," Aqua muttered before a tone of disbelief reached her voice," Wait, is there more than one?"

The figure nodded," Yes, there was an entire organization, they called themselves Organization XII. If I can recall correctly from the scraps of my memories, there was a boy who fought against them; I'm sure he and his friends put a stop to them."

Aqua let her body relax when she realized that the man was no danger to her and let the information process in her head; one of those people had taken Sora, but now it seemed they were all defeated.

Aqua let out a dry laugh,"Just when I thought I had a clue, now he could be anywhere."

The sound of waves filled the silence that fell over the two; Aqua went to excuse herself to continue her search when the man spoke up.

"You said your son was taken from you by someone in a black cloak, yes?"

Aqua nodded, forgetting that the man couldn't see her with his back still turned to her," Yes, when my world was being covered in darkness, I was asked to help keep it from overtaking everything. I didn't want to leave my son alone, but at the time, I believed he would have been safe in one of the rooms. It wasn't until I was saw the figure did I regret leaving him."

Silence fell over the two as Aqua struggled to recall the event with tears forming in her eyes. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she continued," At first, I thought my son was still safe in the room, but then….the person turned around, and all I could do was stare in horror as...as they held him in their grasp. I couldn't do anything. They threatened to hurt him if I moved, so I stood where I was….and watched them disappear through a portal."

The man had turned from his spot to see a few tears stream down Aqua's face.

"I-I felt s-so powerless. All I could do was watch a-as they took him, a-and hearing him c-c-cry out for me.."

Aqua let out a few sobs as she tried to calm down. She didn't know why she told this man about what befell her and her son, but she found she couldn't stop, and spilled everything.

The man waited for her to calm down before speaking up again," I cannot offer much comfort in words but, I believe you do not have much to worry about."

Aqua wiped the tears from her eyes as the man continued," Like I explained earlier, the Organization was taken down. If anything, I'm sure the ones who fought them, may have already saved your son, especially considering how kind hearted that one boy was. Wherever he went, he arrived with keyblade in hand, always ready to help those in need."

 _Keyblade?_

Aqua quickly turned her head to look at the man in shock.

"Wait, did he happen to tell you his name? Was it Terra or Ven?"

The man stayed still as if thinking on how to answer as Aqua clasped her hands together and waited with bated breath. Slowly, he shook his head and Aqua again sighed in defeat.

"Should've known."

After a while, the man spoke again," How long has it been since I met him? At least a year now, perhaps more. Back then, my heart was clouded with vengeance. I did terrible things, both to him and his friends. I brought unhappiness to more lives than one. I felt something must be done."

Aqua looked up from the ground and stared at the man as he continued to speak.

"Was that why? A means of clearing my conscience? Or perhaps out of a sort of scholarly instinct? While the boy slept his long sleep, I hid the results of my research inside him, transplanting the data to where it might best serve a purpose. In fact, I would like to believe maybe he can set things right. A boy like him who touches so many hearts. He could open the right door, and save all those people whose lives I managed to ruin. So many are still waiting for their new beginning, their birth by sleep. Even me, and even you."

Aqua raised a brow, her curiosity peaked as she took a step forward.

"What's this boys' name?"

The man looked up to stare over the water.

"His name is..."

* * *

" _Mommy! Mommy! Look what I made!"_

" _Oh? What is it?"_

" _A keyblade! Uncle Ven helped me make it so when I'm old enough I can be a Master just like all of you!"_

" _You want to be a Keyblade Master?"_

" _Yeah! I wanna be like you and Uncle Ven and Uncle Terra! Then I can help people!"_

" _Sweetheart, you don't have to be a Keyblade Master to be able to help people."_

" _I don't?"_

" _No, just by being kind and lending a hand to those in need is more than enough. Follow your heart and let the light guide you; power comes from other places than just a keyblade. Can you remember that?"_

" _Yes Mommy."_

" _Good, why don't you go back and see if Ven needs your help?"_

" _Okay! Bye Mommy! Love you!"_

" _Love you too..."_

" _Sora."_

* * *

For a moment, she forgot how to breath. She could only stare as the man's words repeated themselves in her head; and with each repeat, tears formed in her eyes as her body began to shake. A smile started to form as she let out shaky laughs as the feeling of relief engulfed her heart.

Just when she thought she was back to square one, she finds out that Sora _is_ out there; and not only is he safe, but he's helping many people throughout countless worlds. Although hearing that he was practically putting himself in harm's way should have had her in a state of panic, she allowed herself sometime to relish the fact that she _finally_ somewhat knew of his whereabouts.

The woman almost immediately started bombarding the man with questions; questions on how he looked, if he seemed okay, how old he may have looked and more.

The smile on Aqua's face did not leave for a long time.

* * *

 **Quick Note** : Just so you guys know in advanced, there is the possibility of delays when uploading chapters in the future. For the past few weeks my computer has been acting up and literally turns off at random times; and then it takes a long time for it to turn on again, I'm lucky if I can get through a whole day/session with it on. I'm going to get it checked(cause my computer is where I mainly write, upload stuff, and do practically everything) but I just wanted to give a heads up just in case.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Oh boy it's been a while! Sorry about that! I had to send my computer to be fixed and even then it's not working properly. I just now managed to get it to turn on(it's been 3 days), but I'm not so sure I can trust it to be okay. I _might_ have to get a new computer, I hope not but it might be necessary it it fully crashes on me. Anyway, that was just a little update, here's hoping that things work out.

 **Miss Light Bright:** Thank you! I'm glad you think so!

 **YellowFlash67:** Thanks! And again, yeah, really hoping that my computer works with me.

 **warrior of six blades:** Tbh, I've been actually trying to find a way to make a scene involving Aqua knowing about the events of kh1 but I'm slightly struggling with how to execute it. She _would_ end up being slightly cautious of Riku knowing what had happened in the past though.

~Enjoy!~

* * *

"Sora's mom? She's back on the islands."

"No, his biological mother."

Training had been constant the past few days for Kairi when she arrived in Radiant Garden as she learned how to properly wield her keyblade and use magic. Now she was able to take a small break as Mickey had arrived and asked to talk to her and Riku, but the topic at hand had the two teens confused.

Riku and Kairi both gave each other quick glances before staring back at the King, almost as if he had lost his mind.

"I hope to not sound rude your Majesty," Kairi spoke, "but that's her. Sora's biological mother is back on the islands."

Mickey gave a small smile, "Of course, she raised him as her own, but she's not his biological mother."

Kairi let out a gasp as her face went to complete disbelief, and Riku, completely baffled at the news, stared at the King in shock.

"What are you saying your Majesty?"

"Sora, well he's," Mickey looked at Kairi, "he's actually kinda like you Kairi. His birth home, it isn't Destiny Islands."

Kairi let out another gasp, "It isn't?!"

"But Sora's always said that Destiny Islands was his home," Riku explained, "when Kairi came, she knew that she wasn't from there, so wouldn't Sora have also known the same for him?"

"Well, you do have a point but..."

When Riku began to interrupt, Kairi placed a hand on his arm. He looked down to see her gaze fixed onto the ground.

"Do...do you know where...he's really from?"

Riku raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Kairi, you believe it?"

The girl looked up to meet his gaze, "Riku, you've known the King longer than I have, surely you know he wouldn't lie to us about something like this. As shocked as I am, I trust the King. Besides, don't you remember?"

Riku raised a brow, "Remember what?"

"A few days before you two left," Kairi explained, "remember what happened at the old playground?"

Riku's eyes widened in understanding.

"Maybe we can finally figure out what's been going on."

Riku nodded and turned towards Mickey, "I'm sorry your Majesty, please continue."

"Aw it's alright Riku, I understand," Mickey reassured, " anyway, yes, Sora isn't from Destiny Islands. As for him not knowing, he may have lost his memories due to the darkness."

"Did the darkness takeover the world he's from?"

Mickey gave a small nod, "Unfortunately, yes. From what Aqua told me-"

"Wait," spoke Riku, "Aqua was there?"

Another nod, "Yes she...well..."

After going silent for about a minute, Riku and Kairi glanced at each other quickly before looking back at Mickey.

"Is something wrong your Majesty?"

Mickey gave a sigh, "I'm sorry, to be honest, I'm a little hesitant to say this, but..."

"It's alright your Majesty, you don't have to-"

"No no," Mickey replied quickly, "It's just, I know this may be an absurd request, but...it would be better if...you didn't tell Sora."

"W-why?", asked Kairi.

"Because, Aqua...she wants to...tell him.. herself."

"Tell him…what exactly?"

Mickey looked at the two. Both teens had looks of worry on their faces and he wasn't sure how they would react.

Well, this had to happen eventually.

"Aqua is...Sora's biological mother."

* * *

" _Any ideas?"_

" _...No. I just can't seem to remember; but….. that's also part of the problem."_

" _What is?"_

" _Remembering. It feels like I forgot something important and it isn't just some random thing that just started coming into play."_

" _We're….not following."_

" _It's like…..it's not just something that I'm feeling for a little while, it's like it's been with me my whole life and I'm just now trying to put the pieces together….if that makes any sense?"_

" _So….in other words, you feel as if you had ongoing memories of somewhere else, and it's not just a one time thing that can be ignored?"_

" _Yeah, and it's what's frustrating me. All I've ever known as home is Destiny Islands, so I'm not sure where the name Land of Departure came from or why it feels familiar; not to mention on why I have this feeling of homesickness in my heart…and…... "_

" _What is it?"_

" _...Heh, this might sound a bit crazy but…..sometimes…I feel like I can hear someone. Ever since we got back, I just hear a faint voice, like it's trying to call out to me. It happens mostly at home and I end up staring out into the open air; I don't realize I'm doing it until Mom snaps me out of it. At first, according to her, I just go silent and stare straight ahead; and then, I start... crying and…. "_

" _Sora?"_

" _Whoever that voice belongs to….she's really hurting...and I can't help but feel like...it's because of me."_

* * *

While Riku paced back and forth behind her, Kairi sat at a table staring at her hands as she held them together.

Mickey had been called back a bit ago, and while he was a bit reluctant to leave them, they told him that it was okay and they could take some time to process the information. So the two teens were left alone, regarding the new info on their closest friend.

Yet, they couldn't tell him anything about it.

"They're connected."

Riku stopped as he turned towards Kairi, "What?"

Kairi only continued to stare at her hands, "Land of Departure, that's where he's from; he may not know now, but he could be remembering little by little. He knows the name, he just doesn't know its significance."

Riku sighed as he placed a few fingers to his forehead, "But now we do."

Kairi brought a hand to her chest as she spoke again.

"And that faint voice he mentioned, could it be Aqua?"

The girl looked up at Riku as he went back to pacing.

"That could very well be possible. If she's his real mother, then their hearts could be connected and…..maybe she's trying to contact him."

Kairi looked back at her hands.

"Do we really have to lie about all this to Sora?", she asked, " It doesn't seem fair, nor would I even ever want to lie to him."

Riku stopped in place, his back towards Kairi as he stared out the window, "Would it really be lying if we don't say anything at all?"

Kairi quickly stood up from her chair as she placed her hands flat on the table and looked in Riku's direction with slight concern on her face, "Yes it would lying! Holding important information from someone and then having to deny knowing anything is lying!"

The girl turned her gaze down to the table as she brought her hands together over her chest, "I understand why they wouldn't want us to say anything, Aqua deserves to fully reunite with him and tell him herself but, I'm not sure how Sora will handle it when he finds out we, or anyone for that matter, didn't tell him about something as important as this! Not to mention the fact that Sora really cares about his mom; the one back on Destiny Islands, the one he's known all this time."

Riku watched as the worry settled on the girl's face and her words filled his mind.

Yes, Sora would most likely be upset, and the thought of having to deny anything they knew was dreadful and may be a bit hard; but there wasn't much they could think to do.

Riku looked back at Kairi as she met his gaze, the same thought on both of their minds.

Keeping this from Sora, was going to be difficult and could end in disaster.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Okay, so my computer is being fixed again but I managed to do this by mobile (took me a good while). I swear I just can't catch a break with technology. I also started school about two weeks ago so whoopee more things going on in life. Hopefully this works out.

 **Guest:** Yeah Aqua is essentially still the same age so she and Sora won't have as big of an age gap. It may come up as a subject later, we'll see~

 **Guest:** They're the type of friends that tell each other almost everything, especially when it's something important. So having to avoid the subject with Sora is hard for them.

 **warrior of six blades:** Things are getting complicated for everyone

~Enjoy!~

* * *

Darkness spread over the sky as it formed a sort of curtain around the land. Strange creatures of various sizes came out, crawling towards the large castle in high numbers.

In the main room just past the front doors, four adults conversed on how to handle the situation. Meanwhile, a small boy, almost four years old, was holding a small Chirithy plush while lying on the floor, a piece of paper in front of him as he drew, oblivious to the danger outside.

Aqua watched as Sora scribbled on the piece of paper. Just a few minutes ago, she, Terra, and Ven were playing with him in their daily fantasy adventure until Eraqus came up to them, stating that something urgent had come up. Ven had then brought some paper and crayons to distract Sora as the others discovered that darkness had just now surrounded their home.

The woman turned back to the conversation as Ven spoke up, "Can't we stop it?"

Eraqus shook his head as he walked over to one of the large windows and peered outside, "That I'm not sure of. Even if we fight, there's no guarantee that we can stop it from overtaking our world."

"We have to at least try something, " Terra said, "we can't just let it destroy our home."

Aqua watched as they all gave a quick glance to her direction. She was about to turn to Sora when something pulled at her shirt. The woman looked down to see her son grabbing the hem of her shirt in one hand, while holding his plush toy and a piece of paper in the other.

"What is it Sora?"

The boy held up the drawing with a smile, "I finished Mommy."

Aqua kneeled down as she grabbed the drawing and looked at it. She could make out five figures, all of them holding hands and with smiles on their faces. She smiled as she realized what Sora had drawn.

"Oh Sora," Aqua said quietly, "it's beautiful."

The boy threw his arms up, "Cause we're all beautiful!"

Aqua laughed and pulled him into an embrace, his arms wrapping around her neck. She kissed his cheek, causing him to giggle, as she stood up with him in her arms.

She held his head to her neck as she shared a concerned look with the others, who also seemed to be holding the same worries.

"Mommy, can we go outside?"

Aqua quickly started walking towards her room as the others huddled together to come up with a plan.

"Mommy?"

"Sora, sweetie," Aqua started,"you won't be able to go outside for some time."

"Why?"

Aqua set Sora down onto the ground as she scrambled through the room.

"Mommy?"

Aqua grabbed her fighting attire from the closet before turning to Sora. Upon turning around however, she grew alarmed as tears formed in the boys' eyes.

"Sora! What's-!"

"Am I in trouble?"

Aqua hastily dropped her clothes onto the bed as she rushed to calm him down.

"No, no, no, Sora. It's just dangerous outside right now, " she explained as she wiped away his tears, "and it would be a lot safer for you to stay in this room."

Sora clutched his Chirithy plush tighter, "And you?"

Aqua felt herself shrink under his gaze.

"I….," Aqua cleared her throat, "Sora, mommy has to do something important. I need you to stay here and wait until I get back, okay?"

The boy gave a small nod before running towards the bed. As he did, Aqua quickly changed and started heading towards the door. Before she could turn back around and reassure him that she'd be back, Sora came running up to her.

Stopping a bit before her, he stood on his tiptoes and reached his arms up towards her.

Aqua, upon realizing what he wanted, kneeled down to pick him up as he hugged her tightly. The woman held him tight as she felt a lump form in her throat.

"I love you Mommy."

She felt her heart pound against her chest.

"I love you too Sora."

When she gave it a bit more thought, she was trying to reassure herself more than him about the situation.

"With all my heart."

* * *

"Up to there?"

"Yes, if we can keep them from getting past that, then there's a better chance for us to succeed."

"Past what?"

Eraqus, Terra, and Ven all turned around to see Aqua running down the front steps.

"Past the barrier; prevent them from getting onto the land in any way," Eraqus explained.

When Aqua reached them, both Terra and Ven looked at her with alarm.

"Aqua," Terra spoke, "what are you doing here?"

She raised a brow, "What do you mean? I'm here to help."

"What about Sora?" Ven asked.

"He's in the room."

"Alone?"

Aqua gave a sigh, "He's safer inside that room; and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that our home stays safe."

Before either Terra or Ven could say anything else, Eraqus called out to them.

"Here they come!"

All three keyblades materialized.

" _I love you Mommy."_

"He'll be safe."

Not a single eye saw the dark figure.

* * *

"Chi! Chi! The blanket has overtaken our land! Where are you Chi?"

Back in the room inside the castle, Sora entertained himself by playing with his Chirithy plush.

"Don't let their fluffiness take you Chi! Or else the pillows will come and make you go to sleep!"

From under the covers at the foot of the bed, Sora's head popped out.

"Chi?"

Said plush was lying on the pillows. Sora let out a gasp as he pulled himself out of the blanket and ran towards it. When he reached the plush, he picked it up and held it in the air.

"I found you Chi!" he exclaimed before pulling it into a hug.

Sora held the toy out in front of him, "You need to be careful Chi, who knows what kinds of bad people could take you! Luckily I got to you in time!"

The boy slid off of the bed and ran towards the window. He climbed up the window sill and peered outside, watching dark shadows cover the land.

"Look Chi," he said to the plush, "the ground has a blanket too! Does everything have a blanket?"

He let out a gasp and looked at the plush, "What if something doesn't have a blanket? They're probably cold!"

Sora quickly got down from the window sill in search of a blanket. While he did so, he didn't notice the figure at the door.

"Do you think this is good Chi?" he asked the plush as he held up a blanket.

The toy laid beside him on the ground.

"You can worry about that later."

Upon hearing the unfamiliar voice, Sora stood up, holding both the blanket and plush in his arms, and turned towards the doorway where he noticed the figure.

The boy blinked. He placed a hand on his chest as he felt his heart start to pound in his chest.

Where was the light?

"Why do you cry boy?"

This wasn't light.

"Mommy."

What did she say was the opposite of light?

"She's not here."

His vision went dark.

* * *

Aqua jumped back, avoiding an attack before slashing the creature with her keyblade.

She looked to her sides to see the others fighting as well. Farther out, the creatures seemed to multiply in numbers. She looked behind her to see the front door of the castle open.

Her heart stopped.

She closed the door on her way out.

All the others were here with her fighting.

"Sora!"

As Aqua ran towards the stairs, she heard the others call out to her. She ignored them, her heart pounding and mind racing. Right as she took the first few steps up the stairs, a dark shadow flew past her. When she turned around, she felt her whole body freeze.

Everything around her seemed to slow down as she watched her son struggle in the grip of a black cloaked figure.

Aqua glared at the figure as she gripped her keyblade tightly.

She stepped forward, "You-!"

She quickly stopped in place when a dark haze started to engulf Sora. The boy yelped and squirmed in the figures' grip, eyes wide with fear.

Aqua reached out a hand, "Stop!"

The figure simply stood in place.

"Then don't move."

Stunned, Aqua remained in her spot. A dark portal appeared behind the figure; she began to panic when the figure started walking backwards into it, Sora still in their grasp.

"Let him go!"

She was ignored.

"Mommy!"

She had to act quick, but any movement would end up hurting Sora. Tears began to sting in the corners of her eyes.

"PLEASE!"

The person stopped. Silence hung around them.

"Here," spoke the figure, "a souvenir."

Aqua watched as the Chirithy plush was thrown at her feet. She quickly looked back up in time to see them disappear through the portal.

"Mommy!"

She ran forward, "So-!"

Her hand grasped empty air.

"-ra."

Gone.

" _He's safer in that room."_

Everything felt heavy.

" _Mommy!"_

Aqua collapsed onto her knees.

" _I love you Mommy"_

He was gone.

" _I love you too Sora."_

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her hands came up to grip her hair. Her breathing became rapid. Her entire body shook.

" _With all my heart."_

Farther out in the field, Eraqus, Terra, and Ven turned away from the creatures when an agonizing scream pierced the air.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** This chapter took me a while to write. I knew what I wanted for this one but I was having trouble putting it all together. So this chapter incorporates a song that I had discovered a while ago that I found really goes with this AU. It's called **Dearly Beloved by AmaLee** and I absolutely love this song. I would recommend listening to it first to get a feel for how the song is and its involvement in this chapter.

 **Chirithy 565:** Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I like to think that children are born differently in the KH universe. Kinda like based on the concept of storks where certain people are given the chance to raise and have their own kids, but the light/Kingdom Hearts makes the choice. Also, considering that the opening for 0.2 implies Sora saves Aqua (and I try to encorporate as much of the canon as possible unless it messes with some of the logic), it took me a while but I managed to find a way for it to work.

 **warrior of six blades:** Out of everyone, Aqua surely has gone through the most heartache. Unfortunately there's still quite a ways to go before she can relax.

 **SuperSonicBros123:** In this timeline, Aqua and Terra only meet Riku. Sora had only just arrived on the islands and was kept inside a house on the main island as the adults wondered where he was from and what to do.

 **TheDisneyFan365:** Thank you! I'm glad you think so!

~Enjoy!~

* * *

The sun shone over the horizon, casting a light over the land. The day was close to ending, the tasks for that day completed, and Sora found himself sitting outside on a cliff overlooking Radiant Garden as he watched the sunset.

The air was peaceful and quiet, giving a light breeze. A moment of tranquility until he left for another world.

Donald and Goofy were out in town gathering some materials; they were the ones that had insisted he take a break. Kairi was still with Merlin training, and last he saw, Riku was with King Mickey.

He had talked to his two childhood friends before, but he could've sworn something was a bit off with them. He had eventually shrugged it off and concluded that they may have just been a bit tired.

" _Sora."_

Startled, Sora turned his head around, only to find no one near.

 _A woman's soft laugh, "My little prince."_

Sora got up from his spot and once again searched his surroundings.

"Hello?"

No response as silence filled the air once again. That familiar ache growing in his chest. He placed a hand over his heart as he looked back over the horizon.

" _My light."_

As if by someone's orders, he walked back to the edge as his eyes glazed over. What sounded like singing echoed in his head, a song that seemed eerily familiar to him. The words became clear in his head as he unconsciously hummed along.

 _One day you would realize,_

 _the stars you were chasing,_

 _shine bright deep inside you,_

These words, where had he heard them before? It was as if his heart remembered the entire song but his mind wasn't letting him see it.

 _But will you ever let it shine from within,_

 _and cast all of your fears aside,_

 _you'll see the light,_

 _but until that day comes_

The familiarity was too much. He could see the image of a woman appear in his mind, her face shrouded in darkness, but her arms wide open, as if welcoming him into their embrace.

 _My dearly beloved,_

 _be strong I shall be there,_

 _always here beside you,_

 _so keep your head held high,_

 _the shadows of this world_

 _will try to steal you away into their arms,_

 _but you belong in mine_

Her face was still covered in darkness, but he was able to make out a smile. His heart warmed at the sight, almost as if it was something he hadn't seen in a long time, but at the same time, something he saw a lot before.

 _We are one within a dream  
So hold me close and count the stars with me  
All our scattered memories  
I will find the pieces one by one_

He reached a hand towards the horizon, his keyblade materializing, as a glow radiated from his hand and enveloped the blade.

Light.

There was a light calling out to him.

 _Ocean waves drift over me_  
 _I'll keep you in my memory_  
 _This dream that lives within your eyes_  
 _I wish to see it come to life_

It was her.

That same voice he had been hearing for so long. It belonged to her; he was able to fully recognize it.

He could feel her pain flowing into his heart, a sense of longing trying to reach out and grab him; and for a moment….

He felt a connection.

His heart. He felt it resonate with another. The two connected, intertwined, and he found himself singing along in unison with the voice.

 _A thousand blades unto the sky_ ( _ **My dearly beloved, be strong I shall be there**_ _)_

 _Reach out and link our worlds, yours and mine (_ _ **Always here beside me, so keep your head held high**_ _)_

 _Let the tide rush over you (_ _ **The shadows of this world will try to steal me away**_ _)  
And one day I know we shall meet again (_ _ **Into their arms, but I belong in yours**_ _)_

Tears streamed down his cheeks as his vision slowly faded to black. He saw the keyblade glow brighter in his hand with each passing second as the next few words slipped out of his mouth.

 _ **My Dearly Beloved**_

* * *

"Sora we're ready to go!"

Donald and Goofy, after having stocked up on items, had reached the top of the cliff where Sora had said he was going to be. When they arrived, however, the keyblade wielder was nowhere to be seen.

"Sora?"

Searching the area, and later the entire town, they found out that no one had seen him around. The two became worried, and after a search for their friend throughout all the worlds with no sign of his presence, not even a small clue, everyone lost focus on their tasks with the knowledge that Sora had just about disappeared into thin air.

* * *

She had reached him. Even if she couldn't see his face, and vice versa, she was able to feel his heart.

Aqua opened her eyes to look over the ocean again as tears freely streamed down her cheeks. A small smile was plastered on her face, her heart filled with a glowing light.

His light.

"You did always know how to make me smile Sora, no matter what was happening."

" _It's always more fun to smile Mommy! It even makes you look more pretty than you already are! Chi agrees with me too!"_

She let out a small laugh, "And with your heart, you have the most beautiful smile of all."

With renewed energy, Aqua gave one last look over the waves before she turned on her heels and ran to another side of the Realm of Darkness.

" _Mommy, what happens if one of us gets lost? Will we find each other?"_

" _Why do you say that Sora? Did something happen?"_

" _I…. had a bad dream. I don't want to lose you Mommy."_

This time, she would find a way out.

" _Oh sweetie, it's okay, I'm here. Sora, look at me, no matter where you go, or where I go, we'll always find our way back. I'll always do everything I can to keep you safe. I won't go anywhere."_

" _Promise?"_

She was sure of it.

"Promise."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Okay, wow, this chapter came out a LOT longer than I was expecting. Either way, I am glad with how it turned out.

 **AquaDestinysEmbrace:** Thank you!

 **miano53** In this universe, for the entire time Sora has lived in Destiny Islands, he is adopted, yes.

 **Guest:** Your answer may actually already be a part of this chapter~

 **Chirithy564:** Omigosh, you'd really want to make art for this?! I honestly don't mind at all! If anything, I feel honored! I'm glad that you enjoy this story enough to make art for it! I'd love to see what you make!

~Enjoy!~

* * *

The sight in front of her glistened. The appearance of water formed and a bright light pierced through from above. Her vision was blurry, but she was able to make out a figure on the other side.

At the same time she reached a hand upwards, the figure also bent down, a hand reaching out for her. She felt her heartbeat quicken, the presence before her becoming more and more familiar the closer she got.

Water. She could still breath, but wherever she was, her surrounding was most definitely like water. It became more apparent when the other hand broke through the surface, bubbles forming around, and its descent towards her slowed down.

The moment they connected, she blacked out.

* * *

Aqua shot up from her spot on the ground as she let out a loud gasp. Looking around, she found herself in a cave-like area with large, jagged rocks scattered throughout the room.

Aqua stood up, about to search the area, when she heard faint footsteps. The sound echoed around, and she noted how it sounded close to her.

She turned her head slightly to the right, a large rock behind her. The footsteps were coming from behind.

Aqua braced herself, and the moment she saw something appear from around the rock, she summoned her keyblade and swung back.

Right as she did, a yelp was heard and another keyblade blocked her attack, covering her view of the person's' face.

"Wait! I'm not here to fight!"

Upon hearing the voice of a boy, Aqua cautiously relaxed her grip and pulled her keyblade from the other. As she brought her keyblade down, she was allowed full view of the face in front of her.

She felt all of the air leave her body as her eyes widened.

Sora held up a hand, "I'm sorry if I scared you, I'm just a little lost right now. I was in another world when I woke up here and… and….. wait.."

She watched as he looked at her keyblade and then studied her face.

Those were the same eyes. The same messy brown hair, albeit a bit brushed. The same light. Aqua couldn't help herself.

"Sora?"

He became confused.

"You….. know my name?"

A small sob escaped Aqua before she quickly clasped a hand over her mouth, tears threatening to spill.

Alarmed, Sora waved his hands in front of him, "I-I-I'm sorry! I didn't-!"

Aqua shook her head, "No, no," her voice quivered, " it's okay."

Sora only continued to give her a concerned look. He shifted nervously in his spot as he looked back at her keyblade.

"You're…a keyblade wielder," he spoke, voice slightly cracking, "right?"

Aqua nodded, a sad smile on face. Sora may not have remembered her, which she slightly understood, he wasn't even four, but he was here; she held onto some hope that he would remember sooner or later. She just had to go by small steps at bringing his memory back.

She held out a hand towards him and smiled.

"I am Master Aqua, pleasure to meet you Sora."

* * *

 _Aqua wandered about as she tried to find the source of all the giggling, which she knew was her son._

 _She let out a soft laugh as her smile grew, "Where are you my sweet little prince?"_

 _More giggling. Small footsteps could be heard coming up to her._

" _Boop!"_

 _Aqua giggled as she turned her upper body to look behind her and see Sora hugging her legs._

" _Watcha doin' my light?"_

 _Ocean blue eyes looked back up at her, "I'm a love angel! I'm here to spread love to those in need!"_

 _Aqua picked up the boy from the ground, her smile never leaving, "Is that so?"_

 _Sora nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck, "Yup! And Mommy gets a bonus!"_

 _After receiving a small kiss on the cheek from the boy, Aqua placed him back on the ground as he ran to pick something up from around the corner. As she watched him go, Aqua felt her heart fill with admiration._

" _What did I do to deserve you?"_

 _Sora came running back, his Chirithy plush in his arms. He hopped when he reached Aqua and held an arm up. Aqua picked him back up._

 _Sora held the plush towards her, "You get a hug and kiss from Chi too!"_

 _Aqua laughed as she let the boy have the plush give her a hug and kiss._

" _Am I allowed to pay you back?" Aqua asked._

 _Sora hugged the plush as a thoughtful look crossed his face._

" _You don't have to pay me back for the love that you deserve."_

 _Aqua's eyes widened at the profound sentence. What_ did _she do to have him in her life?_

" _Oh Sora," Aqua spoke softly as she touched his forehead with hers, "you're so sweet."_

 _The woman placed multiple kisses on the boys' cheeks and forehead as he burst into giggles once again._

" _You want to go see how the others are doing?" she asked._

 _Sora nodded, "The love angel still needs to visit them too!"_

" _Well let's go then angel."_

* * *

Sora wasn't bothered by physical contact, he was always one to hug his friends and lend a comforting hand to many.

It started with the introduction handshake, simple enough and eased some of the tension between them. Afterwards, as they both traversed through the Realm of Darkness, he took notice to how Aqua would hold onto his hand. It was frequent, and she would quickly let go again, apologizing.

He didn't mind it. He figured it was her way of making sure she wasn't actually alone anymore and that he wasn't a figment of her imagination. Yet he couldn't help but feel like there was another reason behind it.

"How did you get here?"

Sora stopped in his tracks as he thought the question over. He crossed his arms over his chest as he looked up with a thoughtful look.

"I'm not really sure," he answered, "I was sitting up on a cliff waiting for my friends to get some supplies, but I don't remember much of what happened. The next thing I knew, I woke up here."

Aqua watched as his face shifted to concern, "They've probably already realized I'm gone. They might get worried."

Aqua placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, the urge to hug him growing strongly within her. His eyes met hers.

"Then let's find a way to get you back."

Sora stared back in silence for a few seconds before his eyes widened at her words, "Wait, what about you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said find a way to get _me_ back, are you not coming with me too?"

Aqua pulled herself back, "Well, last time, only one of us got out. I've had to sacrifice myself to let others get out."

"How long have you _been_ here?"

Aqua cast her gaze down to the floor as she fidgeted with her hands, "I'm…not really sure, but you shouldn't stay here for-!"

Aqua stopped talking as Sora grabbed her hands between his. She met his gaze as he looked at her with worry.

After a few seconds, a small smile appeared on his face, "When we find a way out, we'll both go together; I promise. You shouldn't be down here all by yourself."

" _We'll always find our way back."_

Aqua returned the smile, "Alright then….. thank you… Sora."

Her heart grew warm as he broke into a toothy grin, "No problem at all."

* * *

"Any signs?"

"We've searched every world, there isn't a single sign of Sora anywhere."

Kairi collapsed back onto the chair she was sitting in and Riku passed a hand over his face as the worry overwhelmed them. It was reaching the next day and they still had no news on where their best friend had disappeared too.

They were currently in The Mysterious Tower, Riku and Kairi having had a talk with Master Yen Sid before he left to attend other duties. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy had arrived shortly after.

"Sora wouldn't disappear for no reason," Riku spoke, "something must have happened to him. Hopefully nothing horrible."

Riku looked down at Kairi, only to see her holding her hands over her chest and her eyes wide open as she stared forward.

"Kairi?" Riku asked alarmed, "What's wrong?"

The girl blinked a few times before she slowly brought her head up to meet Riku's gaze.

"His heart."

Riku arched an eyebrow, "What?"

"I can feel his heart," she explained, "he's…with someone else."

"Who?"

Kairi shook her head, "I'm…. not sure, but he is safe. I think if we can all connect our hearts, we may be able to reach Sora. We could bring him back."

The two teenagers exchanged glances with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, all agreeing to give it a shot. They all connected their hands together, forming a small circle, as they connected their hearts and called to Sora.

* * *

"Wind!"

"Fira!"

Upon traversing farther throughout the Realm of Darkness, Sora and Aqua stumbled upon waves and waves of heartless. The two had been fighting groups of them, barely having time to take breaks in between.

"Gah!"

Aqua quickly turned back towards Sora when he yelped and saw him clutching his chest and kneeling down as he held the keyblade up on the ground for support.

"Sora!"

As fast as she could, Aqua fought off the heartless that were blocking her from him, and ran towards him, fighting off the many others that were approaching.

When she reached him, she formed a small barrier around them as she knelt down and wrapped an arm around him.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Sora took a deep breath, "I'm fine. I just, for a second there, I swear I felt my friends."

"Your-!"

Aqua was interrupted when a bright light started to engulf Sora's keyblade.

Before she could say anything, or grasp the situation, Sora quickly turned towards her and wrapped his arms around her neck. Aqua, without thinking, hugged him back as the light grew brighter and brighter, the barrier around them slowly fading.

"Promised."

The heartless that had covered the outside of the barrier fell into a pile as it disappeared, its inhabitants gone.

* * *

Everyone's eyes opened as a bright light started to grow above them. They all stumbled back, shouts of surprise coming from each of them; each one of them covered their eyes as the entire room became engulfed in the blinding light.

A loud thud and clangs of metal were heard, as the light started to fade after a few seconds.

Everyone still had their eyes shut and were facing away from each other before they all slowly opened their eyes.

Kairi opened her eyes to see a keyblade in front of her. Upon seeing the familiar bright gold guard and end of the silver blade, she let out a gasp as she quickly turned back towards the middle of the room.

Upon hearing her gasp, all of the others turned towards the same location, finding two bodies huddled together.

Aqua had her eyes held shut as she kept a tight grip on Sora, who in turn had his face buried in her neck.

Everyone exchanged glances as they all slowly stood up.

Kairi tilted her head slightly to the left, about to speak, when Mickey interrupted in a shocked voice, "Aqua?"

Aqua's eyes shot open as she turned towards the source of the King's voice.

"Mickey?"

Everyone stood still in shock until Sora started to untangle himself from Aqua and stand up. Aqua followed suit as she also took in her surroundings.

"Isn't this," she questioned, "the Masters' tower?"

Mickey walked up to her as she turned back to him, "Yes, it is. Welcome back Aqua."

Aqua could only stare as she looked everything over again, almost not believing it to be real.

"Sora!"

Hearing the shouts, Aqua turned to her right to see Kairi embrace Sora and Riku pat him on the head, ruffling his hair.

Sora let out a laugh as he returned the hug and teasingly stuck his tongue out at Riku.

Kairi unwrapped her arms from him and looked at him with slight concern, "What happened? You disappeared out of nowhere and scared us!"

Sora looked down sheepishly, "I'm not a hundred percent sure honestly. Just like how I told Aqua, I was on the cliff in Radiant Garden when I woke up in the Realm of Darkness with her."

Both Kairi and Riku blinked and stood in silence a few seconds before a certain piece of information finally registered in their minds. Eyes widening, they both turned towards Aqua.

"Wait, so you're Aqua?" Riku asked.

Aqua nodded her head as she gave them a small smile, "Yes, nice to meet you."

"So you're Sor-," Kairi briefly met Riku's panicked look as she realized what she was about to let slip out before she stumbled on her words, "Sor-sor-sor…probably…sore..from…all that…fighting…so you should… take…a break?"

Everyone watched as she winced when her voice cracked at the end of her sentence. She then broke into a nervous grin, laughing awkwardly and avoiding eye contact.

All eyes quickly glanced at Sora to see him watching Kairi with a confused look. They all quietly breathed sighs of relief as Sora exchanged a glance with Riku and shrugged his shoulders.

Mickey watched Aqua stare at Sora as he talked to his two childhood friends and reunite with his two traveling companions. The small mouse walked to her side and placed a hand on her left arm.

Aqua looked down to see Mickey give her a reassuring nod. She nodded back and cast her gaze back onto the boy she had been looking for for so long.

" _It's always more fun to smile Mommy!"_

Smile she did.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Another chapter that came out longer! A bit meh, some moments feel a bit rushed, but I think I got the topic across. There's still a few more chapters left, I think around 3. I'm actually thinking of starting another story(?) where it would just be a bunch of drabbles based on events that happen throughout this Au. Just little moments between different characters, song based drabbles, and all the such, I'm not a hundred percent sure on how it will go.

 **AquaDestinysEmbrace:** It's about time huh? One hurdle down, a few others to go.

 **warrior of six blades:** Dearly Beloved is a beautiful song in of itself. I always saw it as a love song too, but my mind was able to picture scenarios related to this Au and I knew I had to add it to this story.

 **Chirithy564:** Yay reunion! To be honest, the Kairi bit came into my head randomly at one point when I was doing something else and I still laugh it from time to time. Again though, I'm excited to see what you make! Take your time, I look forward to it!

 **StratosOmega:** I'm glad I was able to provide something of interest.

~Enjoy!~

* * *

"Sorry I almost let it slip out, about the whole, you know, 'being Sora's real mom'."

"That's alright. No harm done Kairi."

After recent events, everyone had time to converse as Aqua adjusted to everything. Despite her wanting to tell Sora as soon as possible, she knew that it would be best to get used to everything else.

Coincidentally, while a bit unfortunate, trouble had come up in another world. Sora, Donald, and Goofy had excused themselves as they would go check the situation. When Aqua asked that they all be careful, Sora had reassured her that they would and promised that they would come back as soon as they could.

Aqua then took this as an opportunity to properly meet the two people who had grown up with her son. Some chairs had been pulled out and Aqua and Kairi sat down as Riku stood leaning against the table in the middle of the room.

Kairi smiled back as she clasped her hands together in her lap, "Not to sound weird, but now that I'm properly looking at you, I can see the resemblance between you and Sora. You both have the same eyes and cheerful smile."

Beside her, Riku stifled a laugh. The two women turned to him in confusion. With a teasing look, Riku looked at Kairi.

"Considering how much you stare at him, I'm sure you know would know about his smile and eyes."

Caught off guard and feeling a blush spread across her face, Kairi hit Riku's arm as she stuttered. Riku laughed at her embarrassment of him having said that in front of Aqua.

Aqua blinked as she looked between the two of them bickering. A smile formed on her lips as she let out small giggles.

Upon hearing them, Kairi turned back towards Aqua as her blush grew. She cast one small glare at Riku before crossing her arms and letting out an awkward cough.

Aqua hid her amusement as she decided to save Kairi the embarrassment, "It's been a long time since I've seen Sora, but he still seems to be the same boy, especially in the heart."

"Sora's a great guy," Riku replied, "I will say we're lucky to have him as our best friend. In a sense, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for him."

Aqua's eyes widened, "How so?"

The two friends exchanged worried glances, not sure how they would explain everything that happened to the trio on that fated first adventure. Not to mention everything that had happened up until the current moment.

"Uh, well…, " Riku rubbed the back of his neck, old memories and mistakes coming to mind.

Feeling the uncertainty between them, Aqua grew nervous.

Kairi, with a hurt face, looked at Aqua.

"Many things happened," she explained, " a good amount of cheerful ones, but there's really no forgetting the most…. hurtful times."

Gripping the loose cloth that usually hung at her sides in her hands, Aqua prepared herself. She knew that being a keyblade wielder came with its dangers, but she wasn't ready to hear exactly what dangers Sora had gone through. Especially if his friends were incredibly hesitant to do so.

Kairi looked up at Riku, "I'm not really sure how to start; good or bad, " she turned back towards Aqua, "I don't know where you would want us to start."

Aqua thought it over, and against her better judgment, made a decision.

"I want to hear the worst first."

The two friends exchanged nervous glances.

"Are you sure?" Kairi asked.

Aqua nodded her head, "As much as it might pain me, it would be better to get it out of the way."

Aqua waited for the two to further discuss on what to say, but was slightly surprised when the two merely glanced at each other and nodded, seemingly knowing which event to say first.

"I guess I'll start," Kairi started as she swallowed a small lump, memories of that event tugging at her heart, "Sora….it was long after Destiny Islands had been overtaken by the darkness. My heart had taken refuge in Sora's body, and he traveled throughout all of the worlds looking for us and sealing keyholes."

Feeling guilty, Riku turned his head to the side, avoiding eye contact with Aqua, as he spoke next, "At the time, I had let the darkness take over me. I didn't believe it to be true, even though Sora had warned me multiple times. When we confronted each other in Radiant Garden, which was then Hallow Bastion, I….."

Aqua watched as he closed his eyes. She could tell the guilt was bothering him from what he had done in the past. She could feel her nerves acting up.

Kairi placed a reassuring hand on Riku's arm as he struggled to continue. With a sigh, he went back to explaining.

"I took the keyblade from him."

Aqua recoiled back into her seat as she stared at him in disbelief.

" _What?_ "

Riku winced. He expected her reaction, so it wasn't anything surprising to him. Wanting to get it all out, he continued.

"At the beginning, the keyblade was meant to be mine, so…. I took it from him….and… I left him with a wooden sword."

Aqua looked down, processing the information, as a frown grew on her face and her right hand formed a tight fist. She fought to calm her emotions, but found them quickly overwhelming her.

"A wooden sword. A wooden sword. A _wooden sword?!"_

Riku bowed his head as Aqua stood up from her seat.

"You mean to tell me that in a place full of enemies, you left him with just a wooden sword to defend himself?!"

Riku cast his gaze to the floor, "It was one of the most regretful things I did to him."

Aqua opened her mouth until one of his words registered in her head.

" 'One of the most'? What-!"

To the two teenagers' surprise, Aqua interrupted herself and quickly covered her face with her hands and turned around. A flurry of emotions swirling inside her as an old memory came to mind.

" _So, you really…. how could you?"_

" _I…. I didn't mean to. I was too focused on keeping Ven safe. I deeply regret what I did. Aqua, if I could change my actions from the past, I would."_

After a few seconds of silence, she let out a heavy sigh before tilting her head up to look at the ceiling.

Kairi and Riku could barely hear her as she whispered to herself.

 _It's okay now. Sora's alright, he's here now. It was all in the past. He didn't know any better. Everyone makes mistakes. Calm down. This won't fix anything._

Aqua took a deep breath and brought her head back down, her back still to the other two, "What happened next?"

Riku cleared his throat, "Sora continued to fight, he had an ally alongside him until we met again."

Aqua slightly turned her head to the right.

"The keyblade ended up going back to him, seeing him as its wielder. He beat me, and I ran away. That was when Xehanort's heartless took control of me."

Aqua's head snapped up. Xehanort?

Riku continued, "We fought again later. It wasn't really much of me against him at that point, but he managed to win."

Kairi then took over, "We don't know much of what happened in between, but I eventually woke up when Sora returned my heart. Except…."

When the silence in the room dragged on, Aqua turned around to see tears forming in Kairi's eyes.

Kairi wiped the tears from her eyes as she let out a shaky breath, "The moment I sat up, I saw…. Sora and… he had used a keyblade on himself to free my heart. But in turn, his body disappeared into particles of light. For that moment…. he was gone."

He had disappeared in front of Kairi before she could do anything; Aqua realized how similar the experience was to her when Sora had been taken from her when he was a small child.

"He eventually came back, " Kairi continued, "I'm not a hundred percent sure how, but I had somehow been able to call out to him through the darkness when he was a heartless."

Aqua stared towards the side with a lost gaze, "He became a heartless?"

Kairi nodded her head, clasping her hands together.

"But he's alright now, " Aqua moreso told herself before she turned towards the two, "right?"

Kairi and Riku turned to each other. With a knowing look, Kairi nugged Riku by his side. Letting out a sigh, Riku turned back towards Aqua.

"Just recently, Sora and I took our Mark of Mastery Exam," he explained, "however, throughout the exam, Xehanort was tracking down Sora."

Aqua could still barely believe what she was hearing. Xehanort was still here, and worse, he seemed to be after Sora.

"Why?" she asked.

Riku hesitated, "He….prior to that, he had been gathering the thirteen darknesses. He only needed one more."

Aqua covered her mouth, the implication made clear.

"He almost made Sora one of his vessels."

Aqua shook her head in horror and disbelief. This was a lot worse than she thought. Xehanort may have failed in that attempt, but there was no doubt that he may continue to pursue Sora.

 _Just like….._

"That can't happen again."

Kairi and Riku looked up at Aqua with looks of confusion. Aqua turned her head to the side.

"Xehanort managed to take a friend of mine, " she explained, "I'm hoping to bring him back, along with another, but in the meantime, I'm not going to let him get my son."

The two teens nodded their heads in agreement. Aqua smiled before walking up to Riku.

She clasped her hands together as she looked down, slightly bowing her head, "I'm sorry for my outburst earlier, I let my emotions get the best of me. It wasn't fair for me to lash out at you over something in the past; especially when everything is already worked out."

Riku shook his head, "It's alright. It's perfectly understandable, what I did was an awful mistake; you're worried over him, he _is_ your son."

Aqua nodded, "Even still, from what I saw, Sora is really close to you two. I'm sure everything is worked out."

Riku nodded his head as Kairi smiled.

"There's still a lot to do, but we're all going in together," Kairi said.

Aqua nodded, and motioned towards the chairs with her head, "How about you two tell me about the good, fun times then?"

The two nodded, and they all returned to their original spots. Kairi let out a small laugh as she sat down.

"It's a little funny; both you and Sora also seem to act the same."

A mischievous glint flashed through Aqua's eyes as she raised an eyebrow with an amused smile.

"So," she dragged, "you and Sora?"

Riku stifled his laughter as Kairi stammered once again, wishing she could just disappear.

Geez, are all parents like this?!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Man I was having trouble with this chapter at the beginning but inspiration hit me like a truck halfway into writing it. Brace yourself guys cause even I'm scared for what will happen next chapter (the notes I have for chp 9 are leading to heartbreak).

 **Chirithy654:** Thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter too!

 **Spiderfan626** Thanks! Heh, all of the embarrassment is coming for Sora when that conversation comes up~

* * *

"Will he believe me? Oh, he might not believe me. What am I saying? 'Might', yeah right, he _isn't_ going to believe me! And what if he gets upset? Oh who are you kidding Aqua, of course he's going to get upset!"

Kairi and Riku watched as Aqua paced back and forth throughout the room.

Just a few minutes ago, they had gotten a message from Chip and Dale telling them that Sora, Donald, and Goofy were on the way back.

It was then that Aqua went into a frenzy.

"What did you think was going to happen Aqua? Tell Sora 'I'm your real mom' and have everything end just like that? Oh it will end, but not in your 'happy ending' as you've been thinking this whole time, no, it'll end in disaster!"

After many attempts at trying to speak up and stop her turmoil, Kairi eventually walked in front of her and quickly grabbed Aqua by the shoulders, stopping her in place.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Kairi spoke with a small smile, "It's obvious you're nervous and all, but let's try to calm down."

Aqua blinked at the girl. After a moment of silence, she looked at Kairi with worry.

"Calm down? There's too much to worry about! I've been waiting for this day for so long, I never took into account how Sora might react."

"Well you're not alone in that."

Aqua looked up at Riku with a confused look, "What do you mean?"

"We've been having to hide all of this from Sora. Something as important as this, there's no doubt he'll be upset at us too when he finds out," Riku explained.

"Sora is the kind of person to keep promises and be true to his friends," Kairi spoke, "I hated having to keep a secret from him."

Aqua noted how stressed the two looked. Wordlessly, she pulled the two into a hug, startling both of them slightly before they returned the embrace.

"Things won't be easy," Aqua spoke before she pulled back, " they never have been really, and if it's going to get better, we have to go through the worst first."

The two teens nodded as they then continued to keep each other calm and occupied.

* * *

"Sora! Slow down!"

"Huh?"

Sora stopped in his ascent up the stairs as he turned around to see Donald and Goofy trying to catch up to him.

Donald huffed as he reached the step below the boy, "What are you running up the stairs so fast for?"

"It's not like it's been a long time, nor has anyone left Sora," Goofy added.

Sora scratched the side of his head with a sheepish smile, "Heh, sorry. I'm not sure why, I just feel like I need to be with the others."

"You're worried about Aqua, aren't you?" Goofy stated matter-of-factly.

Sora stared at Goofy in surprise before he rubbed the back of his head and looked to the side.

"She seemed really worried when we were leaving," Sora said, "She's been through a lot too; I want to make sure she feels safe. Don't you guys?"

His two companions nodded their heads, causing the boys' smile to reappear.

"Great, then let's go!" he exclaimed as he quickly turned back around and proceeded to run up the stairs.

"Sora!"

Said boy only laughed back.

* * *

"I don't know what to do!"

"How about some words of encouragement or something to calm her down?"

"What do you think I've been doing?!"

"Not a good enough job apparently."

"Riku!"

The bickering between the two teens went unnoticed as Aqua struggled to calm her beating heart and steady her breathing. She had been having a normal conversation with Riku and Kairi until she heard Donald's distant shout of Sora's name, signaling that they had arrived.

It was then that she started to panic again.

"How do I even start? Do I go straight to the point or do I slowly lead the conversation towards it? What do I do?!"

Kairi quickly grabbed Aqua's hands, startling the woman, and pulled her up from the chair as she and Riku proceeded to arrange the room back to how it was before the others left.

"Okay," Kairi announced, "We're gonna go by this as casual as we can and if worst comes to worst, we'll work through it."

Kairi turned to Aqua, "Sora's a forgiving person, he's recently been getting memories of when you two were together, so it's feasible that he'll come to understand it; if he doesn't however, well, I'm still sure he'll come through."

Riku walked up to Aqua and placed a hand on her shoulder, "You two share a special connection, stronger than anything else, Sora will see it."

Aqua smiled as she nodded her head, "Thank you. Sora was right when he said he has wonderful friends."

Before any of the two could reply, footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door. Riku and Kairi exchanged quick glances while Aqua clasped her hands together tightly over her chest and stared at the door in anticipation. The knob turned as the door swung open.

Sora smiled as Donald and Goofy stood behind him.

"We're back!"

* * *

" _Come on Sora, say 'Maaa-maaa'."_

" _Ba!"_

" _Say it with me, 'Ma-'."_

" _Ven?"_

 _Ven looked up to see Aqua standing at the kitchen doorway with a bottle in her hands as she watched him in confusion._

" _What are you doing?" she asked as she walked forward, now shaking the bottle._

" _I'm trying to teach Sora how to say 'mom', or at least any variation of that," he explained._

 _Aqua reached the other side of the crib, "Ven, he hasn't even said his first word yet."_

" _Yeah but his first word should at least be that."_

 _Aqua let out a small laugh as she picked Sora up from the crib and cradled him in her arms. She fed him the bottle of milk as she addressed Ven again._

" _Sora's barely one, it may take some time."_

" _Okay," Ven sighed, "but we still gotta make sure his first word is 'mom' though."_

 _Aqua raised an eyebrow, "You're really fixed on this aren't you?"_

" _Well I think it would be nice and… I don't know," Ven gently passed a hand through the small boys' hair, "I feel like I need to help him. You already had him when I got here, he's been a good source for cheering me up since then."_

 _Ven looked back up at Aqua, "I want to return the favor and help protect and teach him."_

 _Aqua smiled warmly as she reached a hand out and ruffled his hair, "Thank you Ven, I appreciate it, and I'm sure Sora will too."_

 _The sound of quiet mumbling caught their attention as they looked down at Sora. Aqua removed the now empty bottle and rocked him back and forth, "What is it Sora?"_

 _The smaller boy held his arms up towards her as he continued to mumble._

 _Ven leaned a bit closer to Sora, "Maybe he-!"_

" _Ma!"_

 _Both pairs of eyes widened as Sora clapped his hands._

" _Ma! Ma!"_

 _Sora laughed happily as Aqua and Ven shared looks of surprise and shock._

 _Ven let out a laugh as a smile grew on his lips and he pumped a fist into the air._

" _I knew it!" he exclaimed as he then rubbed Sora's head, making the boy giggle, "Way to go buddy!"_

 _Ven let out a gasp, "I have to go tell the others."_

 _As Ven ran out the room, shouting for the others to come, Aqua stared down at Sora in silence, still stunned by what she was hearing._

" _Ma!"_

 _Slowly, a smile formed on her lips as she let out shaky laughs and kissed the boy on his forehead._

" _Yeah," she whispered, small tears forming in the corners of her eyes as the boy reached his hands towards her cheeks, "that's me."_

* * *

"Everything seems to be normal."

"Yeah, it's almost like they've never been separated."

"What are you two talking about?"

Kairi and Riku turned to see Donald and Goofy watching them in confusion. The two keyblade wielders quickly glanced back over at Sora and Aqua as they conversed.

"Uhhh," Kairi hesitated, "Well…"

"Are you okay?"

Upon hearing Sora's question, they all turned back to see him watching Aqua in concern. She had gone silent as she fidgeted with her hands. Aqua briefly met Kairi and Riku's gazes as she discretely nodded her head.

"Sora," she started, "there's something I need to tell you, something you really need to know."

Sora looked over at Riku and Kairi, who were nervously watching them.

"Is something wrong? You all seem nervous."

Aqua opened her mouth to speak when her eyes widened, "Oh!"

Everyone watched as she fiddled with the cloth tied to her waist. After a few seconds, she uncovered a small plush that was tied in the fabric and, with a hesitant smile, she held it out to Sora.

Sora became silent as he stared at it while all of the others eyed the toy in confusion.

Aqua watched as Sora's mouth moved, a hushed whisper coming out that she wasn't able to make out. Before she could ask him to repeat it, Riku spoke up.

"What is that?"

Aqua was about to respond when Sora reached out and gently grabbed the plush. He looked it over once and met Aqua's gaze.

"Chi."

Aqua smiled and nodded her head. Then, a little hesitantly, she asked, "Does it…. remind you of anything?"

Sora brought his gaze back down to the toy and slightly narrowed his eyes as he struggled to think. After a few seconds, he placed a hand to his head as he closed his eyes, the rush of memories mixing in his mind and blurring together.

Sora shook his head as he stared back up at Aqua, "What…. "

Aqua opened her mouth to speak but found that the words were stuck in her throat, "Sora…. as… weird as this may seem… I'm….. actually having a hard time telling you this."

Confused, Sora only continued to watch her in silence.

Aqua let out a heavy sigh. She then stood up straight and brought a hand over her heart.

"Sora, I'm… your real mother."

The shock and disbelief that enveloped his face reminded her of just how difficult this was going to be and how awful it could turn out.

* * *

" _Aqua quick, you have to come here!"_

 _Upon hearing the shouts of her two companions, Aqua quickly rushed into the main living room._

" _What? Is everything okay?"_

 _She looked towards the middle of the room to see Ven and Terra sitting on the floor with Sora standing in between them. Once the now one-year-old boy saw her, he quickly ran over to her and hugged her leg._

" _Ma!"_

 _Aqua picked him up as she addressed her two friends, "What did you guys call me for?"_

 _The two males stood up as Ven spoke in a hushed whisper, "Ask him what the heart does."_

 _Aqua raised an eyebrow, "What?"_

 _Terra waved a hand and motioned towards Sora, "Trust us, just ask him what the heart does."_

 _Still confused, Aqua slowly turned her head towards her child, "Okay, Sora sweetie, what does the heart do?"_

 _The boy slightly tilted his head to the left. He then bent his right arm behind his head and extended his left arm in front of him, "Boom!"_

 _After a quick second, Aqua let out a small laugh as she heard Terra and Ven snickering. She quickly kissed Sora on the cheek as she lifted him into the air, causing him to laugh._

 _Calming down, Ven pointed at Sora, "We were just playing with him when he stopped in place, and after placing a hand over his heart, just kept saying that in a questioning tone."_

" _We eventually figured out that he was just voicing the beating of his heart," Terra added._

 _After Aqua brought Sora back down to her level, the small boy placed a hand over her heart and gazed up at her, "Boom?"_

 _Aqua smiled and grabbed his hand with hers, "Yes Sora, that's the heart. It's very important, but also very fragile; surround yourself with the people you love and it will grow. As long as you have them by your side, things won't be as bad."_

 _She placed a finger over his chest, "Boom?"_

 _Sora smiled as he placed both of his hands over her heart once again, "Boom!"_

* * *

She knew it. She knew this would be a possibility. She knew it.

Yet, having it play out in reality, was breaking her heart.

He was upset. And rightfully so.

It was clear from his friends that he truly loved the one he knew as his mother all these years, and now a woman he barely knew was telling him she was his real mother.

So of course, he went into denial and became upset.

The look in his eyes, the way his voice cracked and wavered, and the way he flinched and took steps back, it was slowly destroying her heart.

The yelling and tears was what completely shattered it.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hello, sorry for the delay! School has been super hectic these past few weeks and it killed my inspiration, _but_ it came back a few days ago and I was able to finish this chapter! The next chapter should be the final one so things will be wrapping up soon(school is still a threat but still).

 **AquaDestinysEmbrace:** The poor souls

 **StratosOmega:** :)

 **Monolaymoo:** Symbolism makes an appearance

 **warrior of six blades:** All of the information is coming out and realizations are being made

 **Chirithy564:** Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the flashback sequences, they were the most fun to write! And don't worry, I understand about dealing with school, so there's absolutely no pressure on the art ^^

~Enjoy(?)~

* * *

 _Aqua sat cross legged on the bed as she had her fingers laced together, palms facing down towards the bed, and her forehead resting on top of them with her eyes closed._

 _She heard small footsteps and then felt the bed shift. She slowly opened her eyes as she saw Sora push his head into the palms of her hands, his hair flattening over his forehead, and peered up at her._

" _Found you!" he exclaimed with a wide smile._

 _Her heart clenched as she gave back a weak smile and cupped his face with her hands as she kissed the tip of his nose, "Yup, you found me."_

 _Sora tilted his head to the left as he stared back up at her, "What wrong Mommy? You look sad."_

 _Aqua pulled the boy into her lap and placed her chin on top of his head, "No, not sad, just a little worried, that's all."_

" _Why?"_

 _Aqua pursed her lips, "It's a little silly."_

 _Aqua pulled Sora up so he was standing on the bed in front of her, "Sora, Mommy has to leave somewhere soon. Will you be okay here with the others?"_

 _The boy nodded his head before bringing a finger to his cheek as he tilted his head._

" _How long away?" he asked._

 _Aqua fiddled with his clothes and straightened them out, "Shouldn't be too long. I'll be back before you know it."_

 _Sora smiled and held his arms up, waving them around excitedly with each word, "Oh! I make supise for when back!"_

 _Aqua returned the smile and pulled the boy into a hug, "I look forward to it, but don't worry too much about it Sora, seeing you at all is more than enough for me."_

 _Sora looked up at her, "See Mommy make me happy!"_

 _Aqua poked the boy in the stomach, making him giggle, "Then I guess we'll both be very happy when I get back."_

* * *

The silence was complete agony. Aqua could feel her heart pounding in her chest, its rate increasing as Sora slowly shook his head. She discretely saw his grip on the plush toy tighten, his breathing becoming uneven, and his body slightly shake.

"What," he spoke, voice barely above a whisper, "do you mean?"

Aqua took a deep breath, "You were taken from me when our world was being overrun by darkness; one of those Organization members took you. I was the one who raised you when you were a baby. You..are my child."

Sora let out a bitter laugh as he shook his head again, "Why are you saying this?"

Her heart sank, "Sora..."

"I don't….you can't…you're not-"

She saw tears starting to form in his eyes. As Aqua took a step forward, an arm stretched out towards him, Sora stepped back.

"You're lying," he choked out.

Aqua felt her body slump a little. With uneven breaths, Sora wrapped his arms around his torso and turned to the side.

"Sora please," Aqua tried again, " I know this is a lot-!"

"No!" Sora interrupted, "My mom is in Destiny Islands. She raised me, my home is there, not Land of Departure with the others and-!"

Both Aqua and Sora's eyes widened at what slipped from his mouth. As Sora covered his mouth in shock and confusion, Aqua realized that Sora did regain some of his memories. Still in a state of shock, Sora leaned his body onto the wall behind him.

"What…"

"Land of Departure, you remember," Aqua spoke again, "that's our home, where you grew up, with Terra and Ven, and Master Eraqus. Please Sora, you have to believe me when I'm telling you the truth!"

She watched in dismay as he shook his head again.

"You're not…."

"Sora."

Aqua turned around to see Kairi step forward and place a hand on her back. She gave a small nod to the woman despite the unsure and nervous look on her face.

"Please, try to at least listen to her."

Sora gazed at her and the others silently, a look of uncertainty still on his face, before his eyes widened in realization, causing them all to shrink back.

"You all knew didn't you?"

No one spoke.

Sora let out a breath of disbelief, "What else haven't you all told me? Or how do I know that everything you _have_ told me isn't just lies?"

Riku averted his gaze to the side as Kairi fiddled with her hands and continuously shifted her balance between her legs.

Frustrated, Sora looked between them as tears threatened to spill, "When is the last time anyone has been honest with me?"

Aqua quickly stepped in front of the others and blocked Sora's view from them, "Sora, it wasn't their choice. I wanted to tell you all of this myself, if you could just listen-!"

"No! Stop trying to convince me!"

"You need to understand the truth!"

Clutching his head, Sora closed his eyes shut as he turned his back to the others, "Stop it! You're lying!"

Aqua persisted, her voice growing more and more desperate as she took small steps towards him, "You said your first word four months before you turned one, your first steps two months after, you wouldn't go anywhere without your Chirithy plush-"

"Stop…"

"-you made a wooden keyblade with Ven, you would always sit on Terra's back when he did push ups, you would take Master Eraqus' robe and use it as a cape-"

" _Stop_ …."

"-we would make pillow forts together, have pretend adventures, make cookies together, stargaze, and take walks around the castle."

Aqua has stopped two feet from Sora and reached a hand out towards his shoulder.

"Please Sora, try to remem-!"

"SHUT UP!"

Everyone recoiled back in their spots and grew silent at the shout.

Riku, Donald and Goofy stared in surprise while Kairi had her hands cupped over her mouth in shock.

Aqua had stepped back, eyes wide, as Sora glared up at her. After a few seconds, upon realizing what he did, Sora brought a hand to his mouth, a horrified look crossing his face.

Without another word he quickly turned around and headed towards the door.

Pulling herself out of shock, Aqua panicked and grabbed his arm.

"No, please Sora! I'm sorry, but please don't go! Please, I can't…lose you again."

She had resorted to begging, but she couldn't have cared less.

Sora remained silent as he pulled his arm from her grip, and turned around to see everyone watch him, before he quickly left the room.

Aqua slumped towards the door and placed a hand against it.

" _What wrong Mommy? You look sad."_

She softly rested her head against the wooden frame. The emotions within her threatening to tear her apart.

" _It's a little silly."_

Aqua slid down to her knees, head still rested against the door, and took a deep breath.

" _See Mommy make me happy!"_

She did nothing to stop the broken sobs and tears.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Omigosh I'm so sorry this took so long! School had really taken my time away and I really wanted to finish this as it's the final chapter but it was hard to dedicate time to it. Luckily I managed to write a little over the last few weeks and this chapter is now complete. It's a little weird now that I've finished this story but I do want to thank everyone that took the time to read this and even leave a review! It means a lot to me that so many people enjoyed this!

 **InfernalFox:** Influences, influences...

 **Chirithy564:** I'm glad I was able to get the emotions right! Well, the resolution is now here and I want to personally thank you especially for your reviews, they really brightened my days and encouraged me to continue writing! I hope you enjoy the final chapter!

 **StratosOmega:** Prepare thy heart

 **Spiderfan626:** Sora is a forgiving person

 **Guest:** Forgot which chapter I mentioned it in but basically Sora doesn't really have a biological father in this Au, it's kinda like storks but with a kingdom hearts twist

 **SuperSonicBros123:** Luckily for you I had just finished this chapter and only needed to do some final edits

~Enjoy!~

* * *

The wind gave a gentle breeze, the grass swaying along with it, as the sun shone in the distance, rays of light reaching the ground and providing an air of peace and solitude.

Small muffled sobs were the only thing that broke the tranquil atmosphere.

Behind the Mysterious Tower at the edge of the cliff, Sora sat with his knees up to his chest, his head buried in his arms.

Clearing his throat and taking a deep, shaky breath, Sora lifted his head up and wiped his arm across his face. Tears continued to stream down his cheeks.

After his outburst in the tower, memories that were once lost resurfaced; many of which made his heart become engulfed in guilt. He had taken a moment to think things over.

He had also taken note to how he never drifted off anymore. All those moments had ceased. The voice had stopped. Ever since he brought Aqua back, it all stopped.

He let out a shaky laugh and passed a hand through his hair before gripping some of it in frustration, "What a mess."

Faint footsteps against the grass reached his ears. Knowing who was approaching and not wanting to face them, Sora buried his head back into his arms.

Aqua stopped a bit behind him, the breeze still blowing in a gentle manner. She pushed some hair behind her ear and stayed in her spot, struggling to find the right words to say and be careful.

"I'm sorry."

Aqua snapped her head towards Sora, head now up and his gaze set towards the horizon.

"I-I didn't…mean to yell at you," he choked out, " I'm sorry."

She watched his shoulders shake as he tried to not cry.

"After everything you did," he continued, "everything you've gone through, you didn't deserve this. I don't…I don't blame you for hating me now-"

"Stop."

Sora turned his head around to look up at her in confusion, tears still present in his eyes. Aqua felt her heart clench at the heartbroken sight, but nevertheless gave him a stern look.

"I don't hate you."

Taken aback, Sora opened his mouth to retort, "But I-!"

Aqua shook her head and took a few steps forward.

"I'll be honest, it did hurt," she let out a small sigh and directed a small smile in his direction, " but I could never hate you Sora."

Aqua kneeled down and gently cupped his face, "You will always, no matter what happens, be my light."

Sora brought a hand on top of one of hers, his eyes cast down in shame and his voice hurt, "Some light I turned out to be."

Aqua frowned and lifted his head to face her, "Stop beating yourself up on this, you had every right to be upset, I should have been more considerate of your feelings. You grew up with other people, formed bonds with them, they're the ones you've known your whole life."

She grabbed his hands and held them between hers, a solemn look on her face, "I was just so desperate to see you again…I didn't really think things through."

Sora remained silent for awhile, eyes on their connected hands, before he cleared his throat, "I've…I remembered…some things…"

Aqua raised her eyebrows in surprise, "You…remember?"

Sora's lips tightened into a thin line, "Not much but, little bits and pieces come to mind. Small things."

Aqua felt her heart beat slightly faster, "Like what?"

He remained silent for a moment before he let out a shaky laugh, small tears forming in the corners of his eyes, "I don't want to lose you."

Aqua's eyes widened as Sora dropped his head down again and tightened his grip on her hands.

"I was shocked," Sora whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks as he hid his face, "so much has happened in my life, and despite the dreams of past memories, I still turned a blind eye to everything."

Aqua remained silent for a while before clearing her throat and singing softly, " _My dearly beloved, be strong I shall be there, always here beside you, so keep your head held high_."

Sora slightly raised his head, " _The shadows of this world will try to steal you away into their arms but you belong in mine_."

Aqua smiled, "You remember."

Sora met her gaze. She watched as tears still threatened to spill and brought a hand up to his cheek. Sora placed a hand on top of hers and leaned into it. Her heart clenched at the sight, wanting nothing more than to take some of his pain away.

Aqua was pulled out of her thoughts when she felt more pressure on her hand. She watched as Sora's breathing became soft and his body relaxed. She smiled as she shifted down to a more comfortable position and adjusted Sora next to her. The whirl of emotions must have made him exhausted.

His head fell against her shoulder as she wrapped an arm around him and rested her head on top of his, a small smile on her lips.

* * *

 _His laugh was absolute music to her ears. His smile would be engraved into her heart for the rest of her life. She remembered how he always told others they had pretty smiles when he was younger, but she always saw his as the most beautiful._

 _Aqua closely observed every detail. His hair was still messy but held a sort of unity in it. His eyes were just as bright as she remembered. His skin was darker, most definitely from all his time on the islands._

 _She noticed the scars._

 _They littered his body. Some long, others short. Every once in awhile, he would place a hand somewhere along his body and a small wince would pass his face._

 _He would brush off her concerns. He would tell her that he was use to it, that it happened all the time. It was a common thing._

 _She knew that. Being a keyblade wielder, especially a guardian of light, would insure injuries. She knew that._

 _But she didn't like it._

 _Didn't like that his fate was tied to everything. Didn't like that he was a target to Xehanort._

 _Didn't like how quick he was to throw himself into danger for others at a disregard to his own safety._

 _It was her life._

 _He was reliving her life._

 _And she didn't want that._

" _Sora?"_

" _Hm?"_

" _Are you…okay?"_

 _Sora tilted his head, slightly confused, "What do you mean? I'm perfectly fine."_

 _Aqua sighed, "What you're doing, it's a lot. You say it's okay, but it sounds like you do more than everyone combined."_

 _Sora seemed surprised and shook his head, "Oh no, everyone works hard-"_

" _Sora."_

 _Sora stopped. The serious look on Aqua's face startled him._

" _From what everyone has told me, you've saved all of them. You fought off the darkness multiple times. You're even a target for Xehanort. You've gone through the most."_

 _Aqua stared down at her hands, "I'm just… concerned for you. What you're going through… it's a lot like what I went through, and I don't want that for you."_

 _An understanding look passed Sora's face. His eyes displayed comfort as he gave her a small reassuring smile, "I know about all of the dangers, but there are people who need our help. As scared as I may be sometimes, I'm willing to take the risks. I guess you know that too."_

 _She smiled back, a small laugh escaping her, "I do, and if you're like me, then nothing will stop you."_

 _Sora nodded as he turned his gaze towards his friends, "It may seem like I've done a lot for them, but they've done just as much for me."_

 _He turned back to her, a bright smile on his face, "My friends are my power, and I'm proud to have them in my life."_

 _Aqua returned the smile, "I completely understand."_

 _And I'm incredibly proud of you too._

* * *

Sora slowly blinked his eyes open. Still slightly asleep, his ears picked up on humming.

He smiled as he began to sit up. Aqua rubbed his back as he let out a yawn, "You okay sleepyhead?"

"Yeah, sorry about dozing off there."

She shook her head, "No need to apologize. If anything, you should sleep more."

Sora let out a small laugh as he stared back over the horizon. Aqua watched for a while before letting out a sigh, "Well we should be getting back inside now, let the others know you're okay."

Sora nodded as Aqua stood up from her spot and offered a hand. He smiled and took hold as he was lifted up. Aqua began to walk back towards the tower when she noticed Sora still standing at the edge.

"Sora?"

He turned towards her and walked to her side. She didn't notice his nervous stance and turned around, only to be startled when a hand grabbed hers. She looked back at him, his gaze set towards the ground.

"I…"

She grew a little concerned, "What's wrong?"

Sora remained silent for a while before walking forward and embracing her.

"I love you Mom."

Her breath caught in her throat as she stood shocked. It was far from anything she expected, but it was definitely something she needed.

A small sob escaped her as tears trailed down her cheeks. She quickly wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, never wanting to let go. He then tightened his embrace and she brought a hand up to his head and kissed the top of it.

"I love you too, forever and always."

Separated for over a decade, but they still held a strong, unbreakable connection.

* * *

 **Final Notes:** That's it! Thank you again to everyone for reading and for those who left reviews and favorited this story! It was a pleasure to write this and share it with all of you. Hope you all take care, and maybe sometime in the future I'll write extra drabbles for this Au!


End file.
